But just like all other societies, we do have sex and marital problems, and sometimes they are distressingly acute. Then we have the voices who cry for sex and more sex; who bewail the institution of marriage; who think that most of the troubles of the race are traceable to sex causes. Unreasonable fear that our instincts will not be satisfied drives us to covet the possessions of others, to lust for sex and power, to become angry when our instinctive demands are threatened, to be envious when the ambitions of others seem to be realized while ours are not.

We realize that some people are as fanatical about sex as others are loose.

In other words, we treat sex as we would any other problem.

Then we have the voices who cry for sex and more sex; who bewail the institution of marriage; who think that most of the troubles of the race are traceable to sex causes.

We do not want to be the arbiter of anyone's sex conduct.

If our sex conduct is selfish, we may excite jealousy, misery, and a strong desire to retaliate in kind.

Suppose a person places sex desire ahead of everything else.

And even while staying within conventional bounds, many people have to admit that their imaginary sex excursions are apt to be all dressed up as dreams of romance.

Our desires for sex, for material and emotional security, and for an important place in society often tyrannize us.

One set of voices cry that sex is a lust of our lower nature, a base necessity of procreation.

If sex is very troublesome, we throw ourselves the harder into helping others.

In this way we tried to shape a sane and sound ideal for our future sex life.

We remembered always that our sex powers were God-given and therefore good, neither to be used lightly or selfishly nor to be despised and loathed.

We all have sex problems.

When, and how, and in just what instances did my selfish pursuit of the sex relation damage other people and me?

So these desires -- for the sex relation, for material and emotional security, and for companionship -- are perfectly necessary and right, and surely God-given.

But drinking does complicate sex relations in the home.

Was it our self-esteem, our security, our ambitions, our personal, or sex relations, which had been interfered with?

When the satisfaction of our instincts for sex, security, and society becomes the sole object of our lives, then pride steps in to justify our excesses.

God alone can judge our sex situation.

Questioning directed to this end might run like this: Looking at both past and present, what sex situations have caused me anxiety, bitterness, frustration, or depression?

To sum up about sex: We earnestly pray for the right ideal, for guidance in each questionable situation, for sanity, and for the strength to do the right thing.

In most cases it was found that our self-esteem, our pocketbooks, our ambitions, our personal relationships (including sex) were hurt or threatened.

Then we have the voices who cry for sex and more sex; who bewail the institution of marriage; who think that most of the troubles of the race are traceable to sex causes.

Nearly every sound human being experiences, at some time in life, a compelling desire to find a mate of the opposite sex with whom the fullest possible union can be made -- spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical.

Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)